CMS GROUP INChttp://cmsgroupinc.com
Gaming Hospitality Management & MarketingMon, 18 Dec 2017 13:58:23 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Defining Social Media Marketinghttp://cmsgroupinc.com/2016/04/defining-social-media-marketing/
Wed, 20 Apr 2016 14:04:48 +0000http://cmsgroupinc.com/?p=459The internet has transformed the rules of the overall marketing world. A marketer has to transform marketing strategies to make the most from the web-enabled ideas and technologies and this includes social media and social networking. The trouble with any […]

]]>The internet has transformed the rules of the overall marketing world. A marketer has to transform marketing strategies to make the most from the web-enabled ideas and technologies and this includes social media and social networking.

The trouble with any discussion about social media and social networking is the vague definition of either term. In discussions with some marketing executives, I have found that some marketing executives do not see a difference between the two terms. If you search the terms social media and social networking, thousands of definitions come up and all the definitions between both social media and social networking intertwine and overlap.

Social Media is an ever growing and evolving collection of online tools, platforms and applications. Social Media provides a way for people to share ideas, content, thoughts, and relationships online. Social media differs from so-called “traditional media” or “mainstream media” in that anyone can create, comment on, and add to social media content. From Wikipedia 2008, social media was defined as the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with each other. Social media includes blogs, wikis, video and photo sharing and much more. Social media also includes travel review sites, restaurant review sites, and any site where people can exchange opinions.

Social Networking is a sub-set to social media. Social networking occurs when people or businesses create a profile and interact to become part of a community of friends and like-minded people. The most important part of this definition is the word; interact. To this day, there are many casino companies that still use social media and social networking as a medium of advertising and do not engage a conversation with the audience.

Many casino executives that I have discussed social media marketing with have said that their marketing plans have very minimal objectives in social media because of the many issues that can arise from using social media. One issue I hear from many casinos that is a major concern is a story (good or bad) going viral, which ultimately impacts the public perception of the casino, its offerings and the brand. Despite the potential for negative public relations, the marketing opportunity from social media is such that all casino operators will eventually have to engage in social media and not just use it as an advertising medium. Most people associate social media with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, but it is so much more. To reiterate the definition from above, Social media also includes web sites such as Foursquare, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, blog sites, photo sharing sites – literally hundreds of places where people, including casino visitors, share news and opinions about their experiences. Whether or not a casino operator says they are not going to get involved with social media, more than likely their business already is because it is being discussed on a social media site.

Operators need to know what their customers are saying online. There are a lot of online tools to use to listen to what is being said online about your business. For instance, you can do things like Google alerts as a tool to find what people are saying about your business, your hotel, your restaurants, your games or any number of parts of your business. It helps with finding out what is being said about your business and also helps to find out where your customers are talking about your business. The key is to establish keywords such as property name, name of restaurants, promotions, entertainers, etc. Just because Facebook is the #1 social media site, does not mean that is where your customers are talking about your business. They could be talking about your business on review sites or in blog postings. Using the right online tools can help you find your customers and where your business is being talked about.

Providing the right content on the right social media site and engaging with the customers is only part of the equation. When negative postings appear, the casino operator has to know how to react. Deleting the negative posting should not be an option. It will only lead to a social media crisis and can escalate to epic proportions in minutes, because the negativity will grow from not being addressed and will keep appearing on other sites and blogs. When a crisis management plan is put into place by casino management, it needs to have an entire section dedicated to social media. Every casino company should have a social media policy, not just for the marketing department and customer service staff, but for the entire company because most of the employees at a casino are on social media. Every department in a casino is impacted by social media and needs to be prepared to address issues that may arise on social media that pertain to their department(s). Sometimes complaints are legitimate and the casino operator should take advantage to improve the product and / or service. Address the complaint in the public forum. Always remember, if it is a complaint that cannot be validated, or needs to be addressed with a customer on a personal level, take it offline by addressing through email, phone or in person, but let the public know that it is being addressed.

Like any form of marketing, social media takes a lot of thought and planning. Social media creates opportunities for casinos to solidify relationships with their best players, but it does come with risk as social media can also expose a casino operator’s weaknesses and mistakes. Exposing weakness and mistakes can also create opportunities for a casino operator, as long as the operator has a good social media policy and social media plan in place.

]]>CMS Group Inc Offers A Wealth of Experiencehttp://cmsgroupinc.com/2016/04/cms-group-inc-offers-a-wealth-of-experience/
Mon, 18 Apr 2016 03:17:34 +0000http://cmsgroupinc.com/?p=416Las Vegas, Nevada – October 23, 2014 – CMS Group Inc has brought together the dedication, commitment and the wealth of experience of casino and hospitality executives to form a company that wants to assist with the challenges of today’s […]

]]>Las Vegas, Nevada – October 23, 2014 – CMS Group Inc has brought together the dedication, commitment and the wealth of experience of casino and hospitality executives to form a company that wants to assist with the challenges of today’s business and create solutions to exceed the business goals and expectations. CMS Group is a casino marketing and management solutions provider that brings decades of experience with its executive team and a large network of resources from the casino and hospitality industries.

CMS Group was created to assist casino owners, investors, executives and management teams with everything from day-to-day operations to long range planning. CMS Group is comprised of senior level executives with extensive experience with major gaming companies and tribal gaming operations.

“We are excited to have this much knowledge and experience on our team, and have a team that is capable of passing that knowledge and experience on to other managers and executives in the casino industry. This is what makes CMS Group different; we are here to help,” says Larry King, Vice Chief Finance Officer. “I am proud to be a part of such a diverse team that has experience in all areas of casino marketing and management. We have the unique opportunity to work together on customized solutions for each client.” “Working together along with partnering with casino teams from around the world is what makes us unique,” stated Rick Campbell, Managing Director.

CMS Group has also created a workshop and training service that will be taking place in locations around the United States and in Europe. “The workshops and seminars gives us a chance to discuss the challenges of operating a casino in today’s business environment and meet with executives in small groups.”, stated Richard Kline, Vice President Casino Operations. A calendar of events is available at www.cmsgroupinc.com.

About CMS Group Inc
CMS Group is based in Las Vegas, Nevada with offices in California, Iowa, Missouri, Texas and Florida. CMS Group’s team of casino executives have all worked from entry level positions in the casino industry up to executive level corporate and property level positions prior to joining CMS Group. CMS Group is a leader in casino marketing systems technology and continues to create solutions for the casino and hospitality industries utilizing the latest technologies. CMS Group also serves as an advisor to the annual Global Gaming Expo and conducts seminars and sessions around the United States and Europe. CMS Group is available to assist with the business challenges at all levels of the organization. For more information, please visit us at www.cmsgroupinc.com